Does the mix of cold weather, flat lands, and the skeleton of American Industry become an incubator for creative expression and opportunity? In this panel discussion we will hear from several young luminaries working in the Midwest speaking on the topics of craft traditions, creative process, and career paths. We will view slides of these […]

As machines and computer software advance and become more accessible Craft and Technology is more and more symbiotic. The influence they have on each other and Design can end in new and surprising ways. We’ll bring together a group of women with diverse backgrounds, experiences and careers we will discuss what Craft means to them […]

Creating spaces with bespoke design elements demands a fluid client-designer relationship. Also critical, however, is the ability of interior architects and furniture designer-makers or artists to build symbiotic partnerships based on their specific fields of expertise. This panel will identify the challenges and benefits of these collaborations from a range of perspectives and offer strategies […]

Consumer tastes and behaviors are undergoing a major shift. In many ways it’s good news: a renewed appreciation of making, of quality, of sustainability. At the same time, though, thee’s been a fundamental shift in the way people think about their relationship to “things”. At the same time, there are new forms of commerce that […]

The marriage of art and ideas is well established, but the use of conceptual elements in furniture design is less common. As more designers are entering the field with an arts school background, furniture has moved beyond the limits of functionality to become a platform for powerful artistic statements. This panel will examine the role […]

In the rapidly evolving world of digital and other high technologies in furniture making and related fields, what is the place – and more importantly, the future – of traditional craft? Is it worth preserving? What can be done to nurture it? Does The Furniture Society have a role to play? Drawing from both worlds, […]